Vietnamese EFL English-Majored Students’ Perceptions of Academic Vocabulary in Argumentative Writing

Tóm tắt

Academic vocabulary is used extensively in argumentative writing to enhance the clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness of the writing. This study examines the perception of academic vocabulary among EFL English-majored students, specifically on the importance of confidence and difficulties in using vocabulary, the perceived effect on writing, and the ways of learning it. The research designed combines both quantitative and qualitative approaches, and the instruments used included a 20-item self-administered questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with 218 participants. Using descriptive statistical analysis, the study found that although the students appreciated the importance of academic vocabulary in enhancing their arguments, a majority of them had problems in selecting the right words, made mistakes, and even distinguished between general and academic vocabulary. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data also revealed the challenges encountered by students and the learning strategies they preferred, such as explicit instruction, structured exercises, and online resources. The results of the study showed that implementing systematic academic vocabulary teaching in writing courses may help students to gain confidence and competence in writing arguments. The implications for teaching highlight the importance of focused vocabulary teaching and learning to assist EFL learners in academic settings.